Shotlist

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysian Member of Parliament: (Commenting on the large-scale corruption scandal at Malaysia's state investment fund known as 1Malaysia Development Berhad, or 1MDB)

"It's the failure of governance, I mean, you allow corrupt leaders to squander as much as possible, and the elites were mute and complicit to the crime. International financial institutions, and Goldman Sachs of course, so many others. I mean, complicit to a crime, when you know for a fact that billions are squandered from the public purse. I mean, I was of course (back) then opposition leader, I brought up... I was the first member of parliament to bring up the issue of 1MDB in 2010. But I did not envisage that this squandering would go to this extent. Which means, it is an entire failure of our system; the judiciary compromised, the media: mute, the enforcement agencies were all in the peril of the leadership. And worse, international financial institutions, that we depended upon, or leaders in western governments, for freedom, democracy and justice. Not that they were complicit to the crime, but then they were just seemingly tolerant of the excesses. And I think the lesson that we have learned: first, bring back order to our house, bring back good governance. But also give a strong message that this must end."

++BLACK FRAMES++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysian Member of Parliament: (Commenting on whether he believes he can trust Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad will honour an agreement to hand power to Anwar in two years)

"No reason not to trust him, there's a signed document, he signed, this was an understanding in January, prior to the general elections and when I was still in prison. I was not part of that arrangement, but it was with all party leaders, and he has been reiterating that point consistently, and there is no reason why I should bother to... I think for now, given a choice I wouldn't want to talk about it. You know why? He should be given a free hand. The space and support to undertake these reformations, which are tough. We have been used to a system of governance for the last 60 years, termed democracy, but authoritarian. And of course Mahathir was familiar with that system too, but now he's back in a new Malaysia, and I think he should be given all the support possible.

++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++

Storyline

Malaysia's Member of Parliament Anwar Ibrahim said on Tuesday that failure of governance led to the large-scale corruption scandal at Malaysia's state investment fund known as the 1Malaysia Development Berhad, or 1MDB.

Speaking at the New Economy Forum in Singapore, Anwar Ibrahim blamed corrupt leaders for his country's missing billions, but also stressed that international financial institutions and other actors had contributed to problems by allowing excess spending to continue.

Earlier in November US authorities charged a fugitive Malaysian financier and two former Goldman Sachs bankers in a money laundering and bribery scheme that allegedly pilfered billions from the state investment fund.

The corruption scandal involving the fund rocked a political earthquake, contributing to the ousting of Malaysia's long-ruling coalition in May.

Then-Prime Minister Najib Razak, who set up the fund, now faces criminal charges in Malaysia - accusations he has consistently denied.

Najib's successor, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is currently under pressure to reform the country.

Following his landslide victory in a by-election in October, Ibrahim is widely expected to take over from Mahathir.

Mahathir, the world's oldest leader at 93, has said he expects to step down in two years and will keep his promise to hand over power to Anwar.

Ibrahim said that Mahathir should be given the "space and support" to undertake economic reforms, adding that he saw no reason not to trust that Mahathir wouldn't honour an agreement to hand over power to Ibrahim in 2020.